How bullet trains changed rail travel, black plastic concerns, keys to strong relationships: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Relationships come in many different forms. What works well for one couple might be totally unacceptable for another. There are some common threads, though, and a therapist shared the six ingredients for a successful relationship.

Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day:

5 things

1️⃣ Rail pioneers: Japan’s sleek bullet trains zoomed onto the scene in the 1960s, shrinking travel times and inspiring a revolution in high-speed rail travel around the world. The next big thing could come courtesy of China: magnetically levitating trains capable of running at almost 400 mph.

2️⃣ Toxic warning: Black-colored plastic used in toys, food containers and kitchen utensils may contain alarming levels of a dangerous flame retardant, according to a new study. People with high levels of those chemicals in their blood were much more likely to die from cancer, research previously found.

3️⃣ Sacred ground: Archaeologists in Denmark unearthed more than 50 “exceptionally well preserved” skeletons in a large burial site thought to date back to the ninth and 10th centuries. The bones were found alongside artifacts suggesting the Vikings traveled extensively for trade.

4️⃣ ‘AI companion’: Artificial intelligence chatbots often sound stilted or just downright weird. Microsoft is trying to fix that by focusing on Copilot’s “personality” and how it makes users feel — not just what it can do for them.

5️⃣ Creepy viewing: Now that October has arrived, it’s time to get into the spooky spirit. Our entertainment team came up with 13 eerie-sistible movies and TV series sure to freak you out heading into Halloween, so carve out some time to watch.

Watch this

🔥 Flooding sparks fire: Surveillance video shows a Tesla bursting into flames in a garage during flooding brought on by Hurricane Helene in Sarasota, Florida. The home burned down, but no injuries were reported.

Top headlines

• Iran launches wave of missiles at Israel, and IDF warns of ‘serious consequences’
• Vance and Walz prepare to face off at 9 p.m. ET in high-stakes vice presidential debate
• Helene is the second-deadliest mainland US hurricane in past 50 years

Check this out

🏔️ Shifting boundary: In another sign of the impact of climate change, part of the border between Italy and Switzerland will be redrawn because the glaciers are melting.

2,900

✂️ That’s about how many people CVS Health plans to lay off in its latest cost-cutting move. The company said they are “primarily corporate roles.”

Your health

👩 Mixed bag: Breast cancer deaths in the US continue to fall, but a new report warns of an increase in cases among women younger than 50. The American Cancer Society also said significant racial disparities remain.

Quiz time

🏪 Which convenience store ranks highest for customer satisfaction among US chains?
A. Wawa
B. Sheetz
C. QuikTrip
D. 7-Eleven
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Sports spotlight

⚾ ‘Destiny was on us’: The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves both advanced to the baseball playoffs after a dramatic doubleheader. The wild card games are underway.

Good vibes

🌲 We like to wrap things up on a positive note: Rainforests once covered about 90% of the Philippines, but now less than 3% of intact old-growth forest remains. Conservationist KM Reyes is leading a grassroots movement to save them.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: A. Wawa received the highest marks for customer satisfaction, a new survey found.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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